ORLANDO, FL – November 16, 2011 – Infant Swimming Resource (ISR, www.infantswim.com), the safest provider of survival swimming lessons for babies and toddlers from six months to six years old, suggests these winter water safety reminders to help families protect their young children in and around the water while traveling or entertaining guests this holiday season.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1 to 4.
“Holiday travel and distractions can lead to a breakdown of normal supervision routines. As a drowning prevention resource for your family, ISR recommends a multi-layered approach to water safety all year long,” said Harvey Barnett, Ph.D., founder of Infant Swimming Resource. “It is important for parents to understand that, even if children have had swimming lessons, no child is drown-proof and it is important that water safety remains top priority at home or while traveling.”
Holiday Safety Reminders:
1. Initiate Active Supervision
The most critical line of defense against drowning is adult supervision. No level of aquatic skill can replace active supervision. If your child is ever missing, look in the water first.
2. Educate Family & Friends
When traveling to relatives’ and friends’ homes, they may not be aware of the importance of keeping gates closed, doors locked, closing toilet seats, emptying buckets, etc.
3. Investigate Your Surroundings
Familiarize yourself with potential hazards in a new environment, i.e., landscaped ponds and water features, doggy doors, etc. Watch one mother’s story who lost her precious two-year-old son and has turned a terrible tragedy into a way to help others http://www.isrcrossfit.com/sterling/.
4. Test Pool Fences
Examine the pool area and its surroundings, double-check that there is a permanent 4-sided fence with a self-locking gate. Ensure that the pool fence is at least 3-5 feet from the pool edge, and at least 4 feet high.
Inspect lights, electrical cords and decorations around water. Ensure that no outside decorations provide a means for a child to climb over a fence or open a locked gate.
Keep pools well maintained with clear water even if it is too cold to swim. If your child falls in, he or she can be seen and helped faster. Pool covers need to be drained of accumulated rain water and free of debris.
A moment's inattention does not have to cost a child his life. ISR's Self-Rescue™ swimming lessons are an added layer of protection that teach children how to save themselves should they reach the water alone. ISR offers the safest and most comprehensive survival swimming program in the world, please visit www.infantswim.com to find the Instructor closest to you.
If an emergency happens, it is essential that parents and families are prepared. Learn to perform CPR on children and adults and remember to update those skills regularly.
For more information about water safety for your home visit: http://www.infantswim.com/water-safety/
And be sure to follow our daily Splash Zone Blog, Twitter feed and Like us on Facebook for frequently posted water safety tips and news.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/infant-swimming-resource-recommends-water-safety-precautions-during-the-holiday-season-2011-11-16
